(Comments
by Jeannine Thorpe) Set in an alternative 1969
Japan, a special group of teenagers has been gathered together
under a secret government operation known as Aegis,
to fight an enemy trying to take over the earth... called
simply, "Invader". The Invader can
turn ordinary citizens into zombies under their control, and
only the Aegis agents, called the Gate Keepers,
have the special ability to open the "Gate"
separating the Invader's dimension and our own, and
be able to eradicate them. The show opens with ordinary high
school student Ukiya Shun witnessing an Invader attack,
and quickly realizing that he is one of those with special
power, is indoctrinated into Aegis. Each agent has
a different ability and method of attack, everything from
magic arrows to hallucinogenic piano music! Also crucial to
story is young Ruriko, pictured above.... an experienced member
of Aegis who has to work hard to prove her worth after
the obviously powerful Shun joins the team. To make matters
worse, the two had gone to grade school together, where Shun
had always teased "Ruripe" for being clumsy and
having a runny nose all the time..... unbeknownst to him that
she had had a secret crush him.

I
was lucky enough to have first caught this series live off
WOWOW cable tv while I was in Japan in 2000... and
as soon as I saw it I knew that this series was destined to
be a hit with anime fans here in the West. What first amazed
me was the animation... the CGI animation is expertly blended
with the cel animation like nothing I'd seen before. Particularly
amazing is how the character's eyes swirl like liquid metal
when they sense the presence of an Invader. Now, having viewed
more of the series, I can appreciate it also for its unique
combination of humor, romantic angst, and sci-fi plot. The
Aegis operation and need for young talented fighters
is very much like NERV of Neon Genesis Evangelion
fame.... yet overall Gate Keepers has a lighter tone
than EVA ever did. The music and constant action and
joking keep the show always upbeat and dynamic. And when Ruriko
whips out her bow and arrow and goes on the attack, it almost
seems like a magical girl series! Definitely an interesting
mix which I predict will thrill legions of fans in the West,
and make it an instant classic. Gate.... Open!

(Comments
by Mark Vallen)
O.K., now we're talking! This show is the perfect mix
of traditional hand painted cel animation with computer generated
effects. This is the future of anime... you can tell everyone
you read it here first. Gate Keepers breaks new ground
stylistically with its dazzling computer animation, but it
does so in terms of content as well. Studio Gonzo produced
this comedic gem, which draws its inspiration from several
different traditions in Japanese animation.

There
are Magical Girls, secret government institutions, bizarre
mecha, and the most outrageous villains since the heyday of
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon.
There are even references to American science fiction classics
like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, They Live,
and Night of the Living Dead to be found in this show.
When the Invader launches an attack in a given area all the
people present fall under a spell that makes them mindless
automatons... pretty chilling stuff.

With
all this serious stuff going on Gate Keepers still manages
to maintain its comedic energy, sometimes at breakneck speed.
I mentioned a similarity with Sailormoon only because Gate
Keepers shares with that show a penchant for bad guys that
imbue common objects with negative power, and so common place
objects morph into the most outrageous creations. One episode
I viewed had the Invader seize control of someone's home stereo
system, turning it into a nightmare on legs complete with
volume dials for eyes! This is one bent show... I highly
recommend it!

(Comments
by John Lentini)If
this series reminds you of Evangelion or Dual,
it shouldn't. All right, so you do have a young fellow as
the main character with unusual powers, surrounded by lots
of young girls with similar powers, but that's where the similarities
will probably stop. Because in Gate Keepers, the characters'
powers are all their own, no oversized clumsy mecha running
around here. Once you get over Studio Gonzo's CGI format
(who did an excellent job with Blue Submarine Number Six),
you can really appreciate this evolving Art style. It may
take you an episode or two to get used to, but you'll find
that Gonzo has a very unique and excellent approach
to anime. The story itself is well written to the point that
you will find a wide variety of characters, lots of action
and of course don't forget a little relationship for a couple
in the group on the side. Overall, Gate Keepers is a great
show, and worthy of the buzz it has generated over the past
year. Just be warned if you happen to be out on the town and
you see several men in black, there may be a Gate Keeper near
by as well.